Medieval city in England and in Europe during the Middle Ages

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1 Introduction Medieval city in England and in Europe during the Middle Ages The medieval times were a long period of almost one thousand years (476 to 1792) and during this period the medieval societies evolved a lot, and especially the cities. The political system was dominated by Lords who control land and the production of the country. The cities tended to get free from the control of the lords. Europe is divided in many states,principalities and seigneuries. But in Western Europe, there were bigger states as England where the king was ruling an important state. He had to manage with the power of the lords and the cities.. Political map of Europe in 1300 What was a city during the medieval times? How did cities evolve from 1100 to 1500?

2 Source 5 : Ludlow, an english city Source 6 : A representation of a medieval city Source : Norman Pounds, The medieval City, Greenwood Press, 2005 Source : «Les très riches heures du duc de Berry», illuminated manuscript, c

3 1/ In which european region or state can you notice an important concentration of very large Cities? What about England? (source 1) Source 1 : Nature : Dot map and list Author : Norman Pounds in The medieval city. Date and historical background : [2005] between 1000 and Historical background : important population s growth during the middle ages in Europe. Subject : Cities and urban distribution in Europe. We can notice on the map that there was an important urban concentration in the North of Italy and in Flanders, in the south of Spain (Andalusia) too. Outside this areas, there were other very large cities as Paris, London, Constantinople. In England, the urban network was dominated by London even if there were many smaller cities.

4 Paris Flanders Northern Italy Naples Constantinople Andalusia (Seville, Cordoba, Granada)

5 2/ Demonstrate that during the middle ages an important urban growth happened, in Europe and in England (Source 2). Source 2 Nature : Dot map and list Author : Norman Pounds in The medieval city. Date and historical background : [2005] between 1000 and Historical background : important population s growth during the middle ages in Europe. Subject : Cities and urban distribution in Europe. Doc 2: Between 1000 and 1500 the urban rate trebled [increase threefold] from 1-3% to 9 to 12 %. 1 million european inhabitants were urban in 1000 and 7 million in The same in England.

6 3/ What kind of gift did the king to the city of Cambridge? (source 3) Source 3 Nature : Text, a charter [kind of contract between a city and its landlord] Author : King John ( ) Date and historical background : Between 1199 and 1216, period of a strong urban Growth Subject : The charter gives privileges to the merchants of Cambridge to increase trade in the city. He decided to allow the burgesses of the city of Cambridge to have a gild merchant (l. 2). It means that they were allowed to trade without paying taxes and tolls (l. 3 to 5). It was an important privilege.

7 4/ Demonstrate that the city walls were an important symbol of urban life (sources 4, 5 and 6). Source 4 Nature : Text Author : FitzStephen (died 1191), a cleric and administrator in the service of Thomas Beckett. From Description of the city of London (introduction of the Thomas Beckett biography). Date and historical background : Between 1174 and 1183, period of a strong urban Growth Subject : Presentation of the city of London, the capital of the kingdom of England. Source 5 Nature : a scheme Author : Norman Pounds in The medieval city. Date and historical background : Unknown but during the medieval times Subject : Reprensentation of a planned town at the Welsh Border. Source 6 Nature : an illumination [enluminure] Author : Unknown but the backer [commanditaire] was probably the duke of Berry. Date and historical background : End of medieval times Subject : Reprensentation of a walled city in Europe.

8 2/ Demonstrate that the city walls were an important symbol of urban life (sources 4, 5 and 6). Source 5 : Ludlow, an english city Source : Norman Pounds, The medieval City, Greenwood Press, 2005 Ludlow, england

9 2/ Demonstrate that the city walls were an important symbol of urban life (sources 4, 5 and 6). Ludlow today

10 4/ Demonstrate that the city walls were an important symbol of urban life (sources 4, 5 and 6). Three documents that show that walls were a way to define the city during medieval times : source 4 : the second important subject mentioned in the doc. are the walls (l. 5-8) source 5 : the limits of the town are symbolized by walls source 6 : the limit between the city and countryside is clearly underlined by walls Source 6 : A representation of a medieval city Source : «Les très riches heures du duc de Berry», illuminated manuscript, c

11 5/ Demonstrate that cities were important for their political, religious, and commercial functions (Sources 3, 4, 5 and 6). Source 3 Nature : Text, a charter [kind of contract between a city and its landlord] Author : King John ( ) Date and historical background : Between 1199 and 1216, period of a strong urban Growth Subject : The charter gives privileges to the merchants of Cambridge to increase trade in the city. Political function : source 4 : London concentrated all the powerful men of England (l ) / source 5 : the castle of the lord is located in the city / source 6 : important building in the background, may be a palace. Religious function : source 4 : episcopal seat l. 2 / source 5 : church located inside the walls / source 6 : big building, may be a cathedral. Commercial functions : source 3 : privileges are given to urban merchants / source 4: l.13 to 16 london described as a global market, a bit exaggerated.

12 5/ Demonstrate that cities were important for their political, religious, and commercial functions (Sources 3, 4, 5 and 6). Guildhall The royal palace Whitehall St Paul Church The Palatine Castle the Tower of London

13 3/ Demonstrate that cities were important for their political, religious, and commercial functions (Sources 3, 4, 5 and 6). London today

14 Synthesis The urban growth was very strong during medieval times in Europe. The urbanization rate grew from 2 % to 12 % ( ), and the urban population increased sevenfold, whereas the general population increased only from 50 to 70 millions inhabitants. Even if urban population was in minority, cities hold important powers concentrated inside: political, religious and economic powers. Many buildings showed those powers : castles, cathedrals, and merchants guildhalls. The walls surrounding cities were the symbol of those powers. Moreover, the importance of the cities lied in the fact that they were trade and handcrafted places. Urban people were different from people from the country because they had to buy their food. Cities were places of freedom in medieval societies because they broke the rules of the feudal system. The influence of the landlords was weaker in the cities.